The Mirror Of Erised
by Snowbunneis
Summary: Expecting to see a 6’1" white blonde haired boy staring back at him with a smug self proven expression on his face, Draco stumbled backwards in confusion when that wasn’t what he saw at all.


Disclaimer: It isn't mine yadda yadda and blah blah blah…J.K. Rowling's people!! Come on!

Mirror of Erised

He couldn't sleep, and who really in this temperature could? It was an amazing 110º outside, hottest night of the year so far and Draco Malfoy was left awake, sweaty, and frustrated from the lack of sleep. Cursing silently to himself he slipped out of bed in nothing but his shorts not bothering to reside his feet into slippers.

The cold of the stone beneath his bare feet was refreshing and he was tempted to sprawl his entire body out onto the ground to cool off, but he resisted and continued on walking to his door for a little midnight exploring. His door creaked slightly in the dead of night joining the chorus of sounds from the chirping crickets and the wild buzzing insects. The tall blonde made his way wearily through the estate's corridors, brushing his fingertips on the stone wall idly as he passed by it.

Suddenly a door caught his interest just as his fingertips were about to brush past it. Reaching back in his memory he found no knowledge of this door before. This castle was amazingly similar to Hogwarts, with doors popping up over night then ceasing to exist the next day.

Cautiously the Slytherin's hand caressed the cold metal knob beneath his fingers, toying with the idea of weather to enter or not. Finally giving into curiosity he let the door handle turn beneath his fingers and let the wooden door slid open easily. He shuffled lazily into the room not bothering to gain composure for no one in particular, his face was calm and did not hold the usual sneer.

The room itself did not appear to have any distinguishable features. A few large cast iron windows were here and there with an overlooking view of the empty rose gardens. Same stone wall, same stone floor, in fact the room was entirely empty except for the large mirror in the middle of the room, the very tip of it brushing the ceiling. It stood on two majestic bird feet the color of the sun, shiny brightly as if just been polished. Draco walked towards it surveying the breathtakingly beautiful mirror. The frame work was a beautiful gold with a complex design weaving in and out of letters in obviously a different language. "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi."

Mirrors, Draco certainly hated mirrors. One would think as self centered and arrogant as himself he would love mirrors and his entire room would be wall to wall with them, but that wasn't the case. The Slytherin was careful to avoid his gaze in the mirror not looking at himself in the large beautiful mirror. His eyes a steely blue, his hair white as snow contrasting greatly with his dark shaded eyebrows. His nose was pointed and boyishly cute folding downwards to his pink lips often curved upwards in a sneer. He looked exactly like his father, the man whom he most hated and least wanted to be like.

His attitude, no doubt, was similar to his father's also which produced a self hate. It was all an act though, well most of it. Arrogance was something nailed into his personality but he did not seem to hate man-kind as his father, nor did he hate Harry. He had nothing against him, and for that reason probably never would. At heart he was no Lucius Malfoy and never would be.

Biting his lip out of fear of seeing his father in the mirror Draco turned away and slumped over to one of the windows over looking the vast grounds of the Malfoy estate. The glass was heavy with fog from the muggy night heat. His eyes sank lower pass the fogged windows to see smudges of red roses against the forest green back drop of the garden below.

He rolled his eyes at himself, why was he such a coward to look into a mirror? He did look somewhat close to Lucius but he was much more handsome. His body was lean and muscular, his hair slicked back neatly. There were differences in physical appearances between him and Lucius as well as personality differences, and those differences made them two entirely different people!

Now he was angry with himself, he had been a coward as to not look in the stupid mirror before. Slinking back over to the mirror he closed his eyes tightly and stepped in front of it then suddenly he snapped his eyes open. He was going to look into the mirror to prove himself wrong, he was nothing like that bastard Lucius.

Expecting to see a 6'1" white blonde haired boy staring back at him with a smug self proven expression on his face, Draco stumbled backwards in confusion when that wasn't what he say at all. He turned abruptly around looking for the intruder of his privacy. When it was evident no one else was in the small stone room with him Draco walked towards the window, shaking all over and glistening with sweat. His eyes must have been playing tricks on him.

Shaking still slightly and covered in sweat, he laid his forehead against the cool glass window pane leaning on it for support. His heart was beating wildly and he placed a cold hand over his chest feeling the _thump-thump _over and over again. The beating of it lulling him into a peaceful state and his heart rate returned to normal.

Cautiously he stood up and walked over to the mirror again standing beside it before actually moving in front of it. Quickly he checked behind him to see if any one was there then slowly, _ever so slowly, _ he moved in front of the mirror. This time he did not stumble backwards at what he saw but he did quickly look behind him to check and see if the people he saw in the mirror were actually behind him. They were not.

He stepped closer and pressed a hand against the mirror his face molded into longing. There in front of the mirror was him but… not him. He was older, maybe by a year or two and he was not looking at the real Draco but instead leaning over a crib pulling his finger in and out of an infants reach. Leaning over him laughing and cooing at the baby was a woman. She had fierce red curls pulled back out of her face. Her arms were covered in freckles and also wrapped lovingly around his waist.

They were happy. A small happy family. Suddenly Draco looked up from the infants play and smiled at Draco, waving happily, bringing the girl's attention with him. She looked up slowly and meet the eyes of the real Draco. She was so familiar. Her eyes were a bright brown and full of care and happiness. She showed him a dazzling smile which was bursting with energy, it was as if she wanted to share her dream world with him.

They're eyes averted and went back to the laughing infant who was cooing brightly seeking attention. A smile tugged at Draco's lips, the real one, who was looking on the scene with longing. He desperately pushed against the mirror with his fingertips hoping somehow to melt into the scene and smile too with them. He wanted to pick the child up into his arms, twirl her around merrily, twist her small red curls around his finger, coo to her until she feel asleep in his arms. He stood there mesmerized by the three of them happily playing with the little girl.

Soon overcome by desire he pushed his face foolishly against the cold mirror as the sun broke throw the windows announcing dawn's arrival. There must have been some magical way to get into the mirror. He stopped and looked at the scene again, was this the future? Would someday he be happy with someone he loved, God, he hoped so. His eyes tore away from the scene for a split second and darted towards the door then the window. It was morning, should he dare leave his mirror and venture back to his room. If he did would he ever be able to find it again.

He didn't leave, not yet anyways. He didn't want to leave them, they all seemed so perfect with each other. Like a real family, with a real father. He wanted to be a real father. He would never lay a hand on his children for punishment, nor would he drink. The blonde shuddered as his hand instantly moved to the small in his back and winced when his fingers brushed the recent bruise. His father had been drunken with rage over the recent lose of Rodolphus, a close friend to the Malfoys and a loyal servant to the Dark Lord and he had decided to take it out of Draco.

He crumpled his fists in anger but softened when the redhead leaned in and kissed Draco softly on the lips. When they broke apart she had a brilliant smile on her face and a slight blush on her checks.

The blonde was at the age of 24 making him about 25 or 26 in the mirror. If this was the future, he leaned in closer, who was the red head. He squinted and pulled out specific details. The fiery red hair, the freckles sprinkled lightly every where over her tanned skin, those full pink lips, the bright brown eyes, and the dazzling white smile. She seemed so familiar, yet he could place a finger on where he knew her. Maybe he didn't, maybe his wife to be was one he hadn't meet yet.

His legs ached from standing so long so he sank to the floor still staring at the mirror in awe. His stormy eyes lingered on the red head as he searched his memory for signs of people in the past who might be remotely like her. No one in the Black family had anything but black hair , or feigned blonde and they most certainly didn't have freckles. They were ruled out.

The Bulstrodes only had three children, all who were extremely ugly nor any of them had red hair. Besides their build was heavy and thick as where the young girl in the mirror had a build that was small and petite, plus she was gorgeous. Crabbes only had boys, Goyles had only one child who was in fact a boy.

Racking his mind he mentally went through every single family he knew and not one had a girl with flaming red hair with freckles. He cursed to himself but his face didn't turn sour or nor was he frowning. He was smiling up at the red head and himself in the mirror.

Then it hit him, like a million tons of bricks falling on top of him and it nearly took his breathe away. The beautiful flaming red hair. Those gorgeous bright brown eyes. That dazzling white smile showing confidence with a dash of defiance. The freckles everywhere. His future wife was a Weasley!

He sprang to his feet and moved closer to make sure maybe her eyes were blue and he had missed it. She didn't have freckles on her face did she? Was her nose carved the way the weasel's were. Maybe her build was a bit bulkier!

He sank to his feet in realization that she was who he thought she was, matching every description test and excelling in them too. She was gorgeous, stunningly beautiful, drop dead gorgeous, and… A Weasley.

Caught up in his feverish thought he did not hear the sound of foot steps splashing against the gray stone floor. Nor did he notice the tall man standing somewhat behind the mirror, half hidden from the distressed blonde headed boy sitting in front of the mirror. Brushing back long stands of white blonde hair with his leather gloves the man pushed himself into view for the 24 year old.

"Draco, I assume you've been here all night am I correct?" Lucius more stated the asked and gave the boy ample time to resume composure at being caught in deep thought in front of the Mirror Of Erised. Draco, thoroughly stunned at his father's appearance, sprang to his feet immediately.

"Father! I… I didn't hear you come in.. I.. Er, well… Yes I've been here all night I was just pondering what this mirror was when you walked in on me and… Well startled me and I…erm.. Uh.." He stuttered unsurely, he was always unsure in speaking to his father. The immense pressure of being under that steely gaze was incomparable to words.

"The mirror, dear boy, is merely a dark arts toy. It shows one's utmost desire, some confuse it easily with showing the future but that is not so. It is more for amusement on my behalf and I simply store it here for safe keeping as it is worth a fortune." Lucius spit the words out barley caring and gazing at the end of his staff in his hand while speaking to the uncomfortable half naked blonde boy.

"Tell me, Draco, what did you see?" He suddenly asked, curious as to what the boy's deepest desires were. Caught off guard by the question Draco's head snapped to look at the mirror again to see the red head and the fake Draco looking up for the crib and waving at him happily.

"I see me. I'm bowing deeply to you and the Dark Lord. I'm receiving your honor for capturing three of the most important Auroras. Granger, Weasley , and Potter." he lied through his teeth still maintaining contact with the older Ginny Weasley who was staring back at him with passion. Lucius, obviously satisfied with the thought of standing next to he-who-must-not-be-named nodded in acceptance.

"Come, Draco." He said turning on his heel and leaving the room. Draco stood there for a second realizing that this was not the future and a sinking feeling came over him. Even if she was a Weasley in the mirror he looked truly happy, something that he could not remembering feeling. She waved to him and sadly he waved back. He waved good-bye to the last chance of hope he ever had of having a happy family and left, following behind Lucius's footsteps.

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